Critical Reaction

"A knife-edged and courageously rock-edged score by two unknown Americans.... Never since the arrival of Sondheim and Kander/Ebb have I been so sure of a new American musical talent"
– The London Spectator

"A brand new 'clean-sheet' musical pushing hard to evolve the form of the American musical.... [After seeing The Fix] I knew I had witnessed in the emergence of its creators major new talents in music theatre"
– Pete Townshend

"Skewers the American bureaucratic machine. Reminiscent of Sondheim, with tinges of Kander and Ebb and a voice uniquely its own, it is a darkly brilliant, over-the-top, audaciously fun ride through the shenanigans of political elections."
– Signature Theatre

"A powerful story of American politics... the brilliant book and lyrics by John Dempsey do more than take a swipe at the political system. They explore the personalities and motives of the main characters (and in the process reveal the skeletons they have in their own cupboards.) ...This is great musical theatre."
– Stage Musical Appreciation Society

"A startlingly original musical... they've hit the dark side of American politics and scored a bullseye. The score has tremendous confidence and ranges from ballads, gospel and point numbers to up tempo pastiche. But it's the lyrics that count. Not since the young Stephen Sondheim has there been such seemingly artless craft."
– Applause Magazine

"[A] wicked fun... luridly overblown comedy of lethally bad manners."
– The Washington Post

"The most corrosive, explosive and gleefully wicked musical comedy to come along in some time... in Dempsey and Rowe, the theater has found a new composing team for all seasons."
– Associated Press